Saratoga Hosts New York Showcase Day Friday
More than 100 New York-breds will take center stage at Saratoga Race Course on Friday for New York Showcase Day, featuring an all-state-bred card including six stakes worth $1.15 million.
An accomplished field of stakes winners will comprise the $200,000 Fleet Indian for 3-year-old fillies on the main track.
Super Surprise, the Maid of the Mist winner on October 24 at Belmont Park, steps back up into stakes company after a victory in a six-furlong allowance on July 24 at the Spa, which saw her register a career-best 86 Beyer Speed Figure in her first start of the year.
"She's doing well and had a good comeback race," Pletcher said. "Now we're stretching her out and hopefully that prep race has got her fit enough to do that."
Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez will have the call from post 5.
Frosty Margarita, the winner of the Maddie May and New York Stallion Series, will depart from the rail for trainer Rudy Rodriguez. Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. will be in the irons.
Melodic, trainer Leah Gyarmati's Tale of the Cat chestnut filly, also has a stakes victory on her resume with a three-length score in the Joseph A. Gimma on September 27 at Belmont. Jockey Kendrick Carmouche will be on the saddle out of post 7.
Super Allison has won three of her past four starts, including the New York Oaks on July 23 at Finger Lakes. The Carlos Martin-trained daughter of 2010 Kentucky Derby-winner Super Saver will exit post 4 with jockey Jackie Davis.
Impressive first-out winners Bobby On Fleek and Syndergaard will face off in the third running in the $200,000 Funny Cide for state-bred 2-year-olds at 6 ½ furlongs.
Louis Lazzinnaro's homebred Bobby on Fleek will be making his first start since his six-length maiden-breaking victory on July 9 at Belmont Park for trainer Chad Brown. By Frost Giant, Bobby On Fleek will be ridden from post 4 by Irad Ortiz, Jr. Todd Pletcher will saddle Syndergaard, who will have the services of Hall of Famer John Velazquez from the outside post. The Majesticperfection colt will look to back up his eye-catching Spa debut on August 8, where he posted a front-running three-length victory to earn a field-high 86 Beyer Speed Figure.
Kharafa, who has earned nearly $1 million, enters off a second-place finish in the Grade 3 Oceanport. The Timothy Hills-trained 7-year-old lost, third in his only West Point appearance in 2013, is seeking his first win since the 2015 Ashley T. Cole at Belmont. He will leave from post 4 under Joe Bravo.
Graded stakes winner Notacatbutallama, third in the last two editions of the West Point, goes in search of his first stakes win since taking the 2013 edition of the Grade 3 Hall of Fame at the Spa. Hall of Famer John Velazquez rides from post 9.
Rounding out the field are Offering Plan, Brother O'Connell, Tapitation, With Exultation, and Harbor King. Good Luck Gus is entered main track only.
Heading the field for the $250,000 Albany is the Bill Parcells-owned Hit It Once More, a winner of three of his last four starts for trainer Gary Sciacca. Once under consideration for Saturday's Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers, Hit It Once More enters the 1 1/8-mile Albany off a 6 ½-length victory on July 23 at Finger Lakes. Kendrick Carmouche rides from post position 7.
Also entering for Parcells' August Dawn Farm and Sciacca is Jet Black, who carries a 2-3-4 record from 10 starts into his stakes debut. Jose Ortiz has the mount, and the duo will depart from post 3.
Drawing post 6, Iron Mizz will be ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez.